Rebound
by forsaken2003
Summary: Xander realizes it might be too late for him and Spike


Title: Rebound  
Author: Forsaken2003  
Pairing: Spike/Xander  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: I own none; all belong to Joss Whedon  
Comments: Always welcomed!  
Summary: Xander realizes it might be too late for him and Spike

Warnings/Spoilers: Post NFA  
Beta'd by: Whichclothes

Prompt #303 from Tamingthemuse- A Decade Late a Penny Short

Prompts: Lover100: 38, Threesome, 40. Lies, 54. Jealousy, 56. Lust, 68. Afraid

Note: From now on most of my Tamingthemuse stories will be named as the challenge.

Xander was stupid. He was stupid for thinking Spike would wait around for him while Xander tried figuring out what he wanted. What was the saying? A decade late and a penny short? Although it hadn't been a decade, the saying still sounded right for the situation.

For months Spike had been flirting with Xander, telling him that they should go on a date, and every time Xander turned him down flat. Why? Because he was afraid that Spike was doing the rebound thing after Buffy. They had been over before Sunnydale but there had been no one after her. What was Xander supposed to think after what Spike had felt for her?

Oh, Spike could be very persuasive. Xander had to stop himself multiple times from falling. The lust for Spike almost over powering at times. But Xander would stick with his lie; that they would make better friends than lovers.

There were only so many times Spike could take being turned down because now he was interested in a new watcher who appeared a few months back. Tall, dark hair, with the most gorgeous eyes Xander had ever seen, next to Spike's of course. How could Spike not end up falling for him? Soon after Edward showed up at the Council door, Spike's attention moved from Xander to him. Jealousy coursed through Xander's body.

Edward wasn't as dumb as Xander. The first time Spike flirted with him, asking if he wanted to go for a pint, he jumped at the chance. The two were inseparable. Edward now went on patrol with them, Xander instantly becoming the third wheel. The threesome would patrol together every night and Xander seemed to be a ghost. Spike would have Edward's back and vice versa but no one seemed to have his. Which was why he was now sitting in the emergency room alone while the doctor put stitches in his shoulder.

So when he was signing himself out and waiting for Willow to come and pick him up he was more than a little surprised to see Spike stroll in… without Edward. "What are you doing here?" Xander asked. "Where's Willow?"

"She phoned me, ripped me a bloody new one for letting you get hurt and leaving you," Spike said. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was perfectly fine driving myself," Xander said.

Spike snorted. "Fine? You could have crashed! Killed yourself or someone else."

"Well, I didn't. So just go back to Edward," said Xander and walked away, leaving Spike at the administering desk.

"You don't like Edward," Spike stated as he caught up to Xander.

Xander shook his head and regretted it quickly when his head began to throb. "Edward is a great guy. He makes you happy. It was a good thing we didn't get together."

"You're…you're jealous of Edward," Spike accused.

"No, I'm not! I just think if we would have gotten together before Edward got there we'd have had a big messy breakup because you liked Edward and then things would have gotten really weird between us," Xander explained. He pulled the keys to his car out and unlocked the door. "So I guess it all worked out."

Spike grabbed the keys from Xander and pointed him in the direction of the passenger's side. "You thought that I would have dumped you for Edward? You were the one who didn't want anything more than a friendship; I wasn't going to wait around forever! I did that enough with both Dru and Buffy."

"Oh, so I'm not good enough to wait for, is that what you're saying?" Xander climbed into the car and slammed his door hard. "This is exactly why I didn't want a relationship."

"What in blazes are you talking about?" Spike asked as he climbed in and started up the car.

Xander snorted while he fought with his seatbelt. "Rebound. That is what I'm talking about! I was just a rebound for Buffy!"

"Rebound?" Spike said as if he didn't understand the definition. "You think I was trying to use you as a rebound?"

"Well, duh! And you proved it the minute Edward walked in!" Xander said. "Not that I care! You go and be happy with Edward, turn him and spend the rest of your vampy lives together!"

Spike couldn't help it, he barked out laughing.

"Don't laugh at me!" Xander shouted and pressed his hand against his head. "Just take me home."

"Oh, pet, you were never a rebound. Edward _was_ the rebound," Spike said wiping away a stray tear. "Didn't you see that he looked like you? He could have been your sodding twin!"

Xander stared at Spike. "No, he couldn't. Edward is hot with a capital H."

"And what are you? A leper?" Spike asked, with a raised eyebrow. "Besides Edward and me weren't ever together. He knew I wanted you and decided to help me out. I honestly didn't think it would take you this long to show any type of interest in me. I was starting to think maybe you really didn't care about me," Spike said quietly. He put the car in drive and made his way out of the hospital parking lot.

"Well, I couldn't very well tell you I wanted you when I thought you were with him. I've learned my lesson about breaking up couples back in high school," Xander said.

Spike grunted. "So what do you want?"

"You," Xander replied. "Well, one of you because there are three of you right now."

"Are you saying three of me is bad?" Spike asked, insulted.

Xander grinned. "Yes. But only because that's three times annoying. But on the plus side three times the yumminess."

"Yumminess?" Spike repeated.

"Yup, yumminess," Xander confirmed with a small nod.

Spike made a face. He wasn't sure how he felt about being called yumminess. But he'd been called much worse. Deciding to get things back on track, Spike said, "Does this mean you're going to stop being stupid?"

"Oh, stupid is in my DNA, look up my parents to confirm that," joked Xander. "But I know what I want and what I want is you."

"There may be hope for you yet, luv."

Xander grinned. "Let's hope so."

The End


End file.
